Be extremely vigilant of the dominant qualities of a given people in any given land, and don’t be heedless of the divine wisdom in the creation and notice gentleness and separation.
Organise your time, in a matter appropriate to the times specific needs using gentleness and toleration and be very wary of either harshness or laxity. This is so because too much laxity concerning permissible maters pulls the heart backwards in its journey; until even a man of resolve ends up like a foolish boy.
Thus do not neglect the externals of your worldly needs, in the meantime don’t be heedless of your end and final resting place. Be extremely vigilant about avoiding positions of leadership but if you are tried with such matters at least know your limitations. Be absolutely sincere to Allah with a sincerity of one who knows full well who is placing demands on him.
Surrender completely to His decree with a submission of one who knows he can never overcome him.
Have a firm foundation for all your affairs and you will be safe from their pitfalls. Organise your devotional practices and you will find your time is extended due to the Baraka (blessings) in it.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
My 5th Islamic Birthday
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
Alhamdulillah! Today is Day of Ashura, (Ten Muharram).
5 years ago, on this faithful day, i pronounced my testimony of faith and entered into the fold of Islam.Well, not many friends would know that i actually converted on this day except for my mentor. He and his other friend were my witnesses to my conversion.
It's only 5 years.... but somehow i felt like as though it has been over a decade.
So I got a fresh 'book of record' the moment i became a Muslim on ten muharram 1426H. Yes, I did strive very hard to keep my records clean but I know it pretty well in my heart, how 'badly managed' is my book of record now...
Deeply etched in my heart is the constant reminder i gave myself: to seek forgiveness from Allah swt in every little sin that I commit with the faculties that He bestows upon me.
In one hadith qudsi, Allah has reassured us:
Son of Adam, so long as you keep calling upon Me and hoping for good from Me, I shall forgive you whatever you have done, and I do not mind. Son of Adam, were your sins to rise as high as the sky, and were you to ask Me for forgiveness, I would forgive you. Son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins as large as would fill the earth, and meet Me having ascribed no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness as great as your sins. (Tirmidhi)
When My servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them). I listen to the Prayer of every supplicant when he calls on Me. Let them also, with a will, listen to My call, and believe in me so that they may walk in the right way. (Surah al-Baqara 186)
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Words of Wisdom (Part 2)
Act in accordance with principal and appropriate legal rulings and not in accordance with stories and fantasies; don’t even consider stories of how things went with others except as a tonic to strengthen your resolve; certainly not as a reference based on the outward forms or of what they seem to be telling us.
In all of this depend upon a clear path you can refer to and a foundation that you can depend upon in all of your states.
Do not take from others, words unless it is in accordance with your own path; but submit to their implications if you desire a realisation.
Avoid all forms of vain and foul speech to your absolute utmost; put aside anything that you cannot discern its benefit immediately.
Beware of being extremely hard on yourself before you have obtained a mastery over it; also beware of being to lax with it in anything that concerns sacred rulings. This is because it is constantly fleeing from moderation in everything and it inches towards extremism in both maters of deviance and guidance (the nature of the self is extremism in both obedience and disobedience).
Seek out a companion to help you out in your affairs and take his counsel concerning matters that occur both in your inward states and your outward affairs. If you do indeed take his companionship; then treat him in a manner that honours his state, and give him of your counsel based upon his inabilities and abilities because the perfected friend is no longer to be found.
Indeed in these times even a suitable companion, who is agreeable, rarely lasts. Beware of the majority of peoples in matters concerning your religious and worldly states, unless you have ascertained he has some sound relationship with his lord based upon a knowledge that is free of his caprice or love of leadership and a sound intellect free of the pitfalls of hidden agendas.
Do not be heedless of the scheming of others or their hidden states. Consider these two from both their origin and their actions. A person of character and family distinction rarely affects you with other than good; yet a person with low origins; roots cause him to disregard you when times get tough.
In all of this depend upon a clear path you can refer to and a foundation that you can depend upon in all of your states.
Do not take from others, words unless it is in accordance with your own path; but submit to their implications if you desire a realisation.
Avoid all forms of vain and foul speech to your absolute utmost; put aside anything that you cannot discern its benefit immediately.
Beware of being extremely hard on yourself before you have obtained a mastery over it; also beware of being to lax with it in anything that concerns sacred rulings. This is because it is constantly fleeing from moderation in everything and it inches towards extremism in both maters of deviance and guidance (the nature of the self is extremism in both obedience and disobedience).
Seek out a companion to help you out in your affairs and take his counsel concerning matters that occur both in your inward states and your outward affairs. If you do indeed take his companionship; then treat him in a manner that honours his state, and give him of your counsel based upon his inabilities and abilities because the perfected friend is no longer to be found.
Indeed in these times even a suitable companion, who is agreeable, rarely lasts. Beware of the majority of peoples in matters concerning your religious and worldly states, unless you have ascertained he has some sound relationship with his lord based upon a knowledge that is free of his caprice or love of leadership and a sound intellect free of the pitfalls of hidden agendas.
Do not be heedless of the scheming of others or their hidden states. Consider these two from both their origin and their actions. A person of character and family distinction rarely affects you with other than good; yet a person with low origins; roots cause him to disregard you when times get tough.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Words of Wisdom (Part 1)
Some words of wisdom from Sheikh Ahmed Zarruq (d. in Libya in 1492, a scholar from Morocco):
Know; may Allah give you and me success and rectify our worldly and other worldly lives and grant us adherence to the ways of the truth in our journeys and sojourns; that repentance is a key and Taq’wa is vast and uprightness is the source of rectification.
Furthermore a servant is never free of either blunders or shortcomings therefore never be neglectful of Tawbah (repentance) and never turn away from the act of returning to Allah (swt) and never neglect acts that bring you closer to Him.
Indeed every time one of these three occur, repent and return, every time you make a mistake, listen and obey. Anytime you display shortcomings or show lack of enthusiasm don’t desist in your efforts. Let your main concern be to remove from your outer states anything that is displeasing and then maintain its outward state through continual counsel. Continue doing this until you find yourself fleeing from anything outwardly displeasing is second nature and that your avoidance of the boundaries of prohibited things is as if it acts like a protective net that is placed before you.
At this point it is time to turn inwards towards your hearts presence and to its reality with both reflection and remembrance. Don’t hasten the end result before you have completed the beginning; likewise don’t begin without looking towards the end result because the one who seeks the outset at the end looses beneficial guidance, and the one who seeks the end at the outset loses beneficial care.
Know; may Allah give you and me success and rectify our worldly and other worldly lives and grant us adherence to the ways of the truth in our journeys and sojourns; that repentance is a key and Taq’wa is vast and uprightness is the source of rectification.
Furthermore a servant is never free of either blunders or shortcomings therefore never be neglectful of Tawbah (repentance) and never turn away from the act of returning to Allah (swt) and never neglect acts that bring you closer to Him.
Indeed every time one of these three occur, repent and return, every time you make a mistake, listen and obey. Anytime you display shortcomings or show lack of enthusiasm don’t desist in your efforts. Let your main concern be to remove from your outer states anything that is displeasing and then maintain its outward state through continual counsel. Continue doing this until you find yourself fleeing from anything outwardly displeasing is second nature and that your avoidance of the boundaries of prohibited things is as if it acts like a protective net that is placed before you.
At this point it is time to turn inwards towards your hearts presence and to its reality with both reflection and remembrance. Don’t hasten the end result before you have completed the beginning; likewise don’t begin without looking towards the end result because the one who seeks the outset at the end looses beneficial guidance, and the one who seeks the end at the outset loses beneficial care.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Muharram 1431H
I end this year 1430H with a heavy heart.
A heart full of guilt and grief.
A heart full of remorse and repentance.
A heart that is tainted with black spots.
A heart that is congested with laziness and gluttony.
As the year is nearing, I sincerely and seriously want to write down some ‘resolutions’ for myself.
Bad habits that needs to be changed, attitude that need to be reformed, adab that need to develop, behavior that conforms and adhere (insya allah) in the way of the Prophet s.a.w.
The list is endless man… masya allah.
And with a new year approaching, I’ve also changed the theme of this blog. Perhaps there would not be anymore personal experiences nor encounters for sharing especially if it causes displeasure amongst other muslims. Insya allah, I will share more meaningful articles with everyone.
O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness and mercy! Ya Allah, please give me another year to reform; to be a better servant of Allah swt and a better Muslim. I acknowledge my faults, sins and shortcomings ya Allah!
A heart full of guilt and grief.
A heart full of remorse and repentance.
A heart that is tainted with black spots.
A heart that is congested with laziness and gluttony.
As the year is nearing, I sincerely and seriously want to write down some ‘resolutions’ for myself.
Bad habits that needs to be changed, attitude that need to be reformed, adab that need to develop, behavior that conforms and adhere (insya allah) in the way of the Prophet s.a.w.
The list is endless man… masya allah.
And with a new year approaching, I’ve also changed the theme of this blog. Perhaps there would not be anymore personal experiences nor encounters for sharing especially if it causes displeasure amongst other muslims. Insya allah, I will share more meaningful articles with everyone.
O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness and mercy! Ya Allah, please give me another year to reform; to be a better servant of Allah swt and a better Muslim. I acknowledge my faults, sins and shortcomings ya Allah!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Monday, December 07, 2009
Friday, December 04, 2009
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